“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” — Maya Angelou

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To showcase what’s possible when you take charge of your health, our very own President, Pearce W. Fleming, has entered the 2017 RAAM Race Across America bicycle race, the annual event’s 35th running. Starting June 13 at Oceanside, CA, teams race over 3,000 miles to Annapolis, MD.

Pearce’s team is sponsored by Bike Law, a national network of bicycle crash attorneys who believe when roads improve for the safety of bicyclists, they become safer for all users. His team is riding in support of Cycle for Survival, a movement to beat rare cancers.

We hope that this year’s RAAM, which you can actually track online, will be an inspiration to those just starting to work toward a healthier, more fit lifestyle. Here’s why:

RAAM shows the benefit of community wellness
The biking community in the US is a prime example of the benefit of participating in socially supportive wellness activities. Newcomers don’t need to worry about having the right gear or the best fitness to reap the rewards of biking exercise.

We know firsthand that all it takes is the desire to take charge of your health since the likelihood of meeting your goals increases with support from a close-knit community. The biking community is a shining example of what’s possible when fit lifestyles include the benefits of community wellness.

Finding time to bike
It’s a mistake to think that you simply don’t have the time to bike. We understand how difficult it can be to schedule exercises, but have you considered your morning commute as an opportunity? If you live within a reasonable distance to work, you can energize your day with a productive workout when commuting by bicycle.

An alternative to biking can be a brisk jog, or power walk if you’re just beginning to explore different ways to commute. During our work with business partners, we’ve seen far too many people choose to drive short distances instead of taking an extra hour to bike or jog to work.

How to start with small steps
Our advice is to start with small steps like simply waking up an hour earlier than usual. It’s all about stringing together small accomplishments to work toward long-term behavioral changes that improve your health.

Also, you have to know how you’ll define success from day to day. Once you start waking up an hour earlier, it won’t take long before you find ways to add morning exercises, and biking is a great choice.